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DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING AND HOLDING ROPES.

No. 582,768. Patented May 18, 1897.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORNELIUS VAN DERZEE, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO LElVIS H.

SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING AND HOLDING ROPES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 582,768, dated May 18, 1897.

Application filed March 81, 1896. Serial No. 585,622. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORNELIUS VAN DER- ZEE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of Albany, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Device for Adjusting and Holding Ropes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in holding or locking devices for ropes; and the object of my invention is to produce a simple device by which ropes used in an extended position, as clothes-lines, hammock-ropes, or ropes used for similar purposes where it is desired to readily tighten or loosen a rope and hold it secured or adjusted, may be drawn tight and locked in such position and readily released and locked or secured in any desired state of suspension. I attain this object by means of the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a plan View of my device with a rope attached. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 1 at 11.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu ghout both views.

A is a rectangular frame having one end round to form a pivot F, as shown in Fig. 2, and the other end G is constructed to have the rope R pass around it, as also shown in Fig. 2.

B is a lever in the form of a segment of a cam constructed to fit and turn on-the pivot F of the frame A as an axis and provided with a hole 0 in an angle of the cam for one end of the rope to be attached, the main part of the lever B playing through the opening of the frame A, so that when the rope secured in the hole 0 is tightened it will draw the arm of the lever against the rope at the other end of the opening in the frame A and so wedge the rope against the end G as to hold it securely.

One end of the rope R is secured in the hole O of the lever B, and after extending around the pulleys, rings, or hooks which are to support the rope for whatever purpose it is used the other end r, after passing through the opening of the frame A, hangs loosely.

It will be readily seen that by drawing down on the loose end r of the rope it will tend to draw up and tighten the rope R, and also at the same time will draw the lever B against the rope B so as to wedge it tight against the end G of the frame A, and thus hold it locked in a secure position, and the more weight applied to the rope the more firmly will it be held in position. When the Weight is removed, the rope can be readily released by pressing down the lever B from contact with the rope R and the rope allowed to run through the opening and be adjusted and locked in any desired position.

The end E of the leverB, which partly encircles and turns upon the end F of the frame A, is made with an opening sufficiently large to allow the side of the frame A to pass through in placing it upon the pivotal end F, as shown in Fig. 2. Thus the frame A and the lever B may be cast in two separate pieces, and the end E of the lever passed over and upon the end F of the frame, and then the body of the lever, including the part containing the hole 0, passed through the opening of the frame A until the loose end of the lever bears against the end G of the frame. When in this position, the rope is attached in the hole O and the lever works freely onthe pivotal endF of the frame without any danger of becoming disconnected. Made in this form my device is very inexpensive and effective.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a device for holding a rope, the combination of the rectangular frame A cast in one solid piece, one end of which is constructed in the form of a pivot F, and the other end G adapted to holdarope when pressed against it, with a lever B constituting a segment of a cam, one end of the lever being constructed to fit and turn upon the pivotal end of the frame A and partially encircle said end, but provided with an opening sufficiently large to pass over the side of the frame in placing it upon the pivotal end, said lever being also provided with a hole 0 at its angle, in which a rope may be inserted and the other end of the lever adapted to bear against a rope passing around the end G of the frame A, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.

CORNELIUS VAN DERZEE. Vitnesses:

WALTER E. WARD, GRACE T. MANY. 

